Black and white negative strip with four images of the flooded Brisbane River

Photographer John Cameron

Photographer Poul C Poulsen

Date1890s-1930s

Object number00048199

NameNegative

MediumCellulose acetate negative, black and white

DimensionsOverall: 183 x 61 mm
Image: 41 x 55 mm

ClassificationsPhotographs

Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from Arlene Hope

Terms

DescriptionBlack and white 120 format film negative strip with four images. This image depicts the Botanic Gardens and Alice Street inundated during the Brisbane floods in 1893. It was probably taken from Parliament House. There are the masts of some sailing vessels visible on either side of the river. The second image is taken from North Quay looking towards South Brisbane. Most of the buildings are partly submerged. In the bottom left hand corner is written From North Quay and in the bottom right corner is PC Poulsen MH8[?] The third image is of a matted photograph with a house in the foreground and a river in the background. The house is surrounded by two wooden fences. The bottom image is of a jetty going out to a building over the river. The water has receded and the trees are at an angle. There are branches from trees strewn across the river bank. In the background is the river. The photograph was taken by John Cameron from an original glass plate taken by P C Poulsen from a collection of photographic negatives of original glass plate images from the 1890s-1930s. Many are signed P C Poulsen. Most are from images taken of the 1893 Brisbane floods.HistoryFrom a collection of photographic negatives of original glass plate images from the 1890s-1930s. Many are signed P C Poulsen. Some later aerial shots may also be from the Poulsen studio. Many of the images show Brisbane City under water from the swollen Brisbane River. They include; the sunken TOONDA RAJAH near Pettigrew, sailing boats on Brisbane River, stone quarrying, Edward street Brisbane with floodwaters, 'S B Cemetery and Fairfield', Pettigrew's Mill, 'S B from North Quay' (South Bank?), Queen Street, 'From North Quay', 'Creek St'. Several ships are reportedly 'Kanak' ships including the RODERICK DHU. Poul C Poulson was a well known photographic studio in firstly, Adelaide, then Newcastle and the in Queensland between 1894 and 1898. 1883 - 23 King William Street, Adelaide, American Studio, late Allen & Gore 1884-1885 Hunter Street, Newcastle, New South Wales 1885-1900 7 Queen Street, Brisbane 1894-1898 Mary Street, Gympie, Queensland 1889 Gladstone Road, Woolloongabba, Queensland 1893 George Street, Brisbane 1898 Kent Street, Maryborough, Queensland 1898 Adelaide Street, Maryborough, Queensland Poul Poulsen founded Poulson studios. He was born in Denmark in 1857 and arrived in Sydney in 1876. In 1882, he moved to Queensland and was later joined by his sisters and brothers from Denmark. He opened his own studio at no 7 Queen Street in 1885 and later opened branches, run by his brothers in other Queensland towns. Poulsen vigorously advertised constant improvements and modernisation in his studio and in the service he provided. His sons and grandson followed in his footsteps. SignificanceThe images present an excellent documentation of the swollen Brisbane River, streetscapes of Brisbane in flood, and damage to the waterfront and shipping.